United Way Perth-Huron executive director Ryan Erb and fundraising campaign co-chair Martin Ritsma are asking for residents' help in raising the last $90,000 needed to reach the campaign's $1.45 million goal before it ends on March 28. Galen Simmons/The Beacon Herald/Postmedia Network

Staff and volunteers working on the United Way Perth-Huron’s annual fundraising campaign are asking residents to dig deep as the campaign nears its conclusion.

With a little less than three weeks left, fundraisers are still $90,000 short of their $1.45-million goal.

“We are striving to get there, first of all, and we want to make sure everyone knows that we can do it,” United Way Perth-Huron executive director Ryan Erb said. “(If) we don’t meet the campaign goal, essentially what it means is the United Way has to prioritize the organizations we support, and how much we give out to the community. So, the bottom line is, if we don’t meet the goal, there will be a little less money that’s going out to our community partners.”

In addition to community partners such as The Local Community Food Centre and Stratford-Perth Shelterlink not receiving the funding they have come to rely on, Erb said a funding shortfall would mean new initiatives, like Family Services Perth-Huron’s youth mental-health program, may not have the financial support needed to get off the ground.

“We want to do more because we have requests from many organizations in the community with needs, and we want to make sure they’re well supported,” Erb said.

All donations to the United Way Perth-Huron benefit community organizations in Perth and Huron counties, which in turn help more than 30,000 people across both counties every year.

“We know the need is great, but we also know the generosity in our community is greater,” fundraising campaign co-chair Martin Ritsma said. “It’s a double-edged sword because the campaign has gone really well, but then people say … maybe the United Way is OK without my support this year. … But we do need your help so we can help those agencies we’ve committed to.”

To learn more about the impact donations have locally, the public is invited to attend the Spirit of the Community Celebration on March 28, an annual event that marks the close of each year’s fundraising campaign. Tickets are $49 each and the evening includes a three-course dinner.